AAssiiaa PPaacciiffiicc MMoouunnttaaiinn NNeettwwoorrkk ((AAPPMMNN)) BBuulllleettiinn
ISSN No 1027-0035 Vol. 7, No. 1 Autumn 2005
Mountain Forum’s Asia votes. Mr. Khan garnered 511 points, Pacific Board Election: an a good 100 points more than Mr. Contents.CCoonntteennttss.. Sanchez, to become the APMN’s FEATURES exercise in e-Governance regional representative on the c Election News The Asia Pacific Mountain Network Mountain Forum Board of Directors. c Interview with Ismail Khan, (APMN) held an email and web- We hope Mr. Khan, who is now on the Asia-Pacific representative, based election in May to elect a MF Board will dialogue with the Mountain Forum regional representative from among its membership to serve on the APMN membership to formulate a c Coordinator’s Notes Mountain Forum Board of Directors. new strategy for APMN in the days ahead in order to better serve the ASIA-PACIFIC MOUNTAIN membership and the mountain agen- PROFILE The Election followed a two step da. • Mountains of North-East process: nomination and voting. The APMN fielded two candidates: Mr. Asia Muhammad Ismail Khan, a native of With the ICT revolution, and the trend Skardu, Pakistan; and Mr. Benedicto of communities of practice (COPs) APMN NEWS Sanchez, a native of the Philippines. formation, of which the Mountain c Overview of activities and Both had dedicated their professional Forum and its regional nodes are achievements lives to the cause of sustainable notable examples, the Mountain DISCUSSION mountain development in their Forum’s “Asia-Pacific” Board Election c Summary of e-discussions respective countries. The bio-data 2005 was a successful institution- alised exercise in eGoverance - • Development amidst conflict and statements of interest of the two eDemocracy. in Northern Areas candidates were made available on- line and were also sent to the mem- • Skardu Dam bers electronically. • Conservation and access Email Interview with Mr. • Mountain conflict Mechanisms were put in place to Ismail Khan, APMN repre- • Development in the authenticate nominations and votes. sentative on Mountain Darjeeling Hills Each member individual or organisa- Forum • Snow Leopards on Everest tion was assigned a unique code number as a primary check, and Mr. Ismail Khan is the OPINION asked to provide other information as elected representative for secondary check before actual nomi- Asia Pacific Mountain • A national park not for Merapi nation or voting took place. Voters Network (APMN) to the by Mimin Dwi Hartono had to rank the candidates according Mountain Forum Board to their preferences. Each individual of Directors for next three BOOK REVIEWS vote was assigned 3 points and each years. We had the pleasure of having organisational vote 6 points and they a brief email interview with Mr. Khan. EVENTS were asked to allocate these points I hope this short but extremely valu- c Past events, members' between the two candidates. able interaction with him will help us initiatives know more about his contributions to c Upcoming events Of 281 votes cast 249 were individ- Mountain Forum and his future plans ual votes and 32 were organisational as a board member. (cont’d on p.2)
APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 1 Features
Email Inteview (from p.1) Pacific region challenging? How do CCoooorrddiinnaattoorr’’ss NNootteess you propose APMN reach out to the Q: Congratulations, Mr. Khan. How marginalised mountain communities? The Asia Pacific Mountain Network does it feel to be a board member of (APMN), a node of the Mountain Forum MF? A: We need to do more to create (MF), announces the revival of the APMN Bulletin. This Bulletin serves many impor- awareness about (the) existence and A: It’s a wonderful feeling indeed. I usefulness of the Mountain Forum tant functions. It informs our network am grateful to MF Asia members for members of network activities; is a plat- and the Asia Pacific Mountain form for taking stock of discussions on giving me such an opportunity and for Network itself, particularly in the critical and emerging themes; and high- their trust, and I look forward to work mountain areas of Asia. The more lights membership initiatives, thereby cre- with other colleagues on the Board, people get to know about the Forum ating a sense of regional mountain com- node managers, and secretariat staff munity that we are. the more this network will grow in to enrich MF activities. strength and content. Recently, in my Between April-May of this year, APMN articles, I have started to mention the successfully conducted an email and web- Q: As the APMN-elected representa- based election to institutionalise e-democ- Mountain Forum in the author’s cred- tive on the Mountain Forum board it line, and I am please to see that racy within the network. Mr. Ismail Khan, a what will be your responsibilities? national of Pakistan, was elected to serve already streams of queries about the as APMN representative on the MF Board Mountain Forum are coming from dif- of Directors for the next three years. A: As a Board member we are expect- ed to determine management and ferent parts of the world, and many As of August 2005, APMN is a sizeable policy guideline of the Forum, review people intend to join it. MF has also network with over 2000 members, both and set strategic directions, monitor initiated dissemination of print materi- individual and organisational, and is still progress and approve annual pro- al such as the MF Bulletin, similar poised to grow. Between January and knowledge and promotional material, August the APMN-managed discussion list grammes. The board also endorses touched a wide variety of mountain-re budgets and work plans, determines for example, calendars, cards, sou- lated issues. APMN members and mf-asi- rules of business, and appoints neces- venirs and others, will help spread the apacific subscribers have always been the sary staff for the secretariat. So, I too word about the Mountain Forum and most valuable asset of the network, with will have opportunities to (provide) APMN, especially among the impor- thoughful inputs and contributions on how tant segments we hope to take into to promote sustainable mountain devel- input into all such activities of the opment in the region. Some of these dis- Mountain Forum. the fold. cussions are summarised in this issue. Q: Have you been in touch with some Q: What challenges did you face As one of the co-organisers, APMN invit- while working with IUCN-Pakistan? ed MF members from the Hindu Kush- of your constituencies? What are their Himalayan region to participate in the expectations? How do you intend to apply what you month-long consultation on “Biodiversity learned during your IUCN years as an Conservation in the Hindu Kush- A: I was really touched by the huge MF board member? Himalaya” from 22 August - 2 October number of congratulatory messages 2005 to further the Cusco Plan of Action received from members following the A: Working with IUCN Pakistan was a of the Mountain Partnership. great learning experience. With the
2 APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 Profile ing mountain peoples and mountain ecosystems everywhere and what role Asia-PPacific can MF play to address these issues? A: If am to pick one major problem, it Mountain Profile would be ‘governance’; mountains areas today face challenges in natural Mountains of North-East peaks in the region are not in the con- resource degradation, globalisation, * tinental section but on the island climate change, unplanned urbanisa- Asia chain of Taiwan (3997m) and Japan tion, poverty, social, cultural and polit- The north-eastern protuberance of the (3776m). The mountains of the north- ical marginalisation. Poor and weak Asian continent extends from Baikal east are described in the following ‘governance’ systems, policies and Lake to the Bering Straits. Much of this four groups: eastern Russia, north structures are one of the main hin- landmass falls in eastern Siberia and and east China,the Korean Peninsula, drances in addressing the issues being the remainder is in north China. and the Japanese Archipelago faced by the mountain communities. Fronting the Pacific coast are two (Figures 1 & 2). peninsulas, Kamchatka and Korea, Q: How can a global network like the enclosing the islands of Japan. The Eastern Russia Mountain Forum promote the moun- tectonic structure of mountain ranges tain agenda at the national and local revolves around Precambrian expo- The great expanse of Russian land level? sures in Manchuria. The surrounding east of the Urals is tilted to the north Palaeozoic/Mesozoic folded areas with most of its southern and eastern A: I believe that the Mountain Forum have an east-west strike in China and parts being mountainous. One high- has an important role to play in net- a north-west strike in Russia. The land that stands far to the north, near working, advocacy, or, in other words, Siberian section north of Baikal Lake 70° north latitude is Gory Putorana in the empowerment of the mountain is mostly of flat sedimentary rocks. (Figure 1). It is not a range but a communities. The Mountain Forum Lava plateaus are exposed around domed plateau with a radial drainage provides the platform for people inter- Kamchatka, while the island chain pattern. Although its highest point is ested or having an ‘interest’ in moun- further south with extinct volcanoes is only 1701m (G. Kaman), Putorana tains to join hands and raise a collec- an active seismic zone. The mountain dominates the vast Taiga Plain for tive voice. It brings in people from ranges are less imposing than those nearly 1000km. The next major diverse background and fields of life, of Central Asia and have compara- ranges, Sayan and Stanovoy, are provides space for discussion, knowl- tively low relief. Therefore, the highest 1500km west and east of Baikal Lake. edge generation, and promotion of common goals and aspirations. The Mountain Forum provides for two-way flow of mountain knowledge from the local to the global level and vice versa.
Q: Lastly, what message do you have for our APMN members?
A: I certainly hope that the ‘network of networks’ that we so proudly call our- selves will continue to grow in influ- ence, content, and action at policy and public levels. All of us who con- stitute the Asia Pacific Mountain Network must carry on with fostering deeper understanding and support for conservation and sustainable devel- opment of mountain societies in the region and in the world. Figure 1: North-east Asia – A * The Asia Pacific Mountain Network commissioned a study from Dr. Harka Gurung entitled, 'Mountains of Asia: A Regional Inventory'. The study was published by APMN/ICIMOD in September 1999. The last issue of the Bulletin carried a brief profile of the Mountains of West Asia, extracted from the report. This issue carries a brief profile of the mountains in South-East Asia. Full text and references can be found in Dr. Gurung's book.
APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 3 Profile
The highland east of Sayan is so dis- east corner of Russia beyond the Lena major industry along with seal hunting turbed tectonically that it has created has a series of young mountains, and lumbering. the graben lake of Baikal, the deepest some of which exceed 2900m. It is an in the world (1737m). The surround- area of intense cold and its vegetation North and east China ing mountains have pine and larch demonstrates a transition from taiga Most of the mountains of China are forests. East of the lake, a series of to tundra. Larch, pine, fir, and birch physiographically related to those of ranges lead north-east towards are the major species of taiga. Central Asia. Those east of 110° lon- Stanovoy Khrebet. This Buryat Mongol Reindeer herding, timber extraction, gitude include extensive ranges north area is endowed with rich forests and fur trapping, and gold mining are of the Huang-Ho, and the maritime minerals such as gold, iron, tungsten, important activities. The alignment of hills to the south. Commencing from and molybdenum. A southern spur, ranges is in a southern arcuate the north-west are two ranges, the Yablonovyj, joins the border ranges of towards Magadan. The western sec- Changbai and the Great Khingan, Mongolia near Ulanbaatar. In the tion has two parallel ranges aligned enclosing Manchuria. The former east, the Stanovoy Range forms the north-west/south-east. These are the range along the Korean border trends water divide between the south-flow- Verkhoyanskiy and Cherskogo flank- north-east/south-west and averages ing Amur and north-flowing Lena ing the north-flowing Yana River. The 1000m above sea level with some rivers. As the Amur turns north to join section east of Magadan has two par- peaks exceeding 2700m. The latter the sea, it is bounded by Sikhote Alin allel volcanic ranges but they are straddles the Russian and Mongolian along the east coast.The Bureinskij aligned south-west/north-east. The boundary into Inner Mongolia. The Range runs parallel to Sikhote Alin northern range, Kolymskoye, traverses Greater Khingan Range, from 1100 - west of the Amur. the mainland, which forms its spine, 1400m in average elevation, has a terminating in the east. The southern gentle gradient with rounded tops. East of the Stanovoy Range, the head- range is made up of the Koryakskoye The eastern slopes have a compara- waters of the Lena approach to within on the mainland and the Sredinnyy on tively moist climate and are covered 100km of the Pacific but are blocked Kamchatka Peninsula. The peaks of with forests. These two ranges, with by the Dzhugdzhur range, which is the last range, exceeding 4700m, are high points of 2744m and 1656m less than 2000m in elevation and the highest in eastern Russia. respectively, are aligned south- runs parallel to the north-west orien- However, the climate is much milder west/north-east. South-west of the tation of the coast. The extreme north- here and there is adequate rainfall Great Khingan across Inner Mongolia along the east coast. Fishing is a is the Taihan Shan. It stretches 400km north-south as a boundary between the Shani Plateau and the plain of north China, and has a pronounced cold temperate climate becoming increasingly arid towards the west. The main cultural groups are the Korean in Changbai and the Manchu, Mongol, Evenki, and Oroqen in Great Khingan. The area has experi- enced extensive deforestation for agricultural expansion since the 14th century (Rost 1999). However, there has been intensified reforestation in recent decades.
The mountains of China south of the Huang River and east of the Wuhan Basin are basically hill ranges that appear prominent owing to the sur- rounding lowlands. The most norther- ly is the Tai Shan in Shandong province, an east-west aligned outlier rising above the vast delta of the Huang. The main summit, Yuhuang Figure 2: North-east Asia – B
4 APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 Profile
Ding (1524m), the Jade Emperor Further north, Tianmu Shan also the watershed of the peninsula. The Peak, has been revered since ancient trends north-west demarcating the slopes along the east coast are steep, times. Another range north of the boundary between Zhejiang and while those in the west are gentle. The Yangtze River is the Dabei Shan on Anhui provinces. The high points on average height of the highest plateau, the border of Anhwei and Hupeh the range are the Shier Shan (1262m) Gaema, is only 1500m. The range provinces. The fold axis running in the south and the Xitianmu continues south-westerly as Soback north-west/south-east links it struc- (1507m) in the north. The range is Sanmaek and its high point, Chii-san turally to the Qinling Shan to the west. famous for dense forest and tea plan- (1915m) virtually approaches the sea The eastern section of the range is tation. Finally, there are the coastal coast. The climate of Korea is mon- higher (approaching 3000m) and ranges of the Daiyun Shan and soon humid, midway between the more complex. The area produces Donggan Shan which are traversed by continental and marine types. The timber and bamboo and also grows the Min River. There are about a highlands were once heavily forested high quality tea. dozen national minorities in these and have been cleared extensively for southern highlands who predomi- agriculture and timber extraction. The There are numerous small ranges nantly speak Sino-Tibetan languages people are derived from the nomadic south of the Yangtze, all with south- and practise sedentary farming. tribes of Mongolia who have fused west/north-east alignments. Those into a homogeneous group. Although encircling the Kiangsi Plain (with The hills across the Formosa Strait in Chinese cultural influence is domi- Poyang Lake) clock-wise from the Taiwan are mountainous. The back- nant, their ancient heritage survives in north-east are the Jiuling, Wugong, bone of the island is the Chungyang shamanistic rituals generally per- Nan Ling, Wuyi, and Tianmu. Jiuling Shanmo that trends north-south. It rises formed by priestesses. Shan has three parallel ranges with steeply from the Pacific to slope gradu- extremely rugged topography. Most ally westwards. Two-thirds of the land The Japanese Archipelago exceed 1000m in height, the dominant surface is composed of rugged high- peak being the Wu-mei (1686m). The lands. The highest peak is the Yue The Japanese word for landscape, area is heavily forested. Wugong Shan (3997m). Abundant rainfall sup- ‘sansui’, is derived from two charac- Range lies south of the Jiuling Range, ports luxuriant vegetation.The tree line ters: san, mountain, and sui, water. traversing the Kiangsi-Hunan border. lies above 3600m owing to the island's They rise from one of the world's great Its western section averages 1500m position astride the Tropic of Cancer. oceanic depressions with depths of up while the lower eastern section has The montane people belong to the to 10,000m. Forming part of a vol- three parallel ranges. The forests are tribal Malay groups who practise shift- canic zone that rims the Pacific, the rich in pine and cedar. The Nan Ling, ing cultivation. island chain may be likened to the running eastwards from Guanxi to crest of a submerged mountain. The Qiansi, forms the watershed between The Korean Peninsula mountains of Japan are described in the Yangtze and Pearl rivers; and these three groups as those of Hokkaido, granite ranges are generally at 1000m The Korean Peninsula (Hankuk) is Honshu, and Kyusu. approaching 2000m in some places. dominated by highlands that run Despite the low altitude, the Nan Ling throughout its length. The mountains The northern island of Hokkaido is is an effective barrier to northern cold are of ancient archaen rocks that dominated by volcanic mountains. In waves, so that the climate south of it is have been uplifted to the east and the east, some of these volcanoes are warm and supports crops all year down-tilted to the west. The central still active. The central core, Ishikari round. The highest point is the range, known as Hamgyong in the Sanchi, has the high peak, the Shinkenkong (1902m) due north of the north and Taeback in the south, runs Daisetsu-zan (2290m). Two ranges Guandong Basin. Further east from parallel and close to the east coast. radiate from here: the Kitami to the Huamei Shan (1673m) the range has The northern section linked to the north and Hidaka to the south. These two spurs: the Luoxiao northwards and Changbai Range on the Chinese bor- are of granitic rock formation. West of Dayu Ling eastwards. der is fairly extensive and includes the these are the Teshio Sanchi, parallel to highest peak in Korea, the Paektu-san the coast, and the Yubari Sanchi The south-east maritime hills run par- or 'White Top Mountain' (2744m). inland, representing a metamorphic allel to the coastline east of the Two ranges,the Kangnam and belt. Hokkaido is the home of the Ainu, Qiangsi Plain. The Wuyi Shan runs Myohyang, trend to the south-west the only surviving aborigines in Japan. north-east along the Qiangsi/Fukien but elevations do not exceed 2000m. The main island, Honshu, has an border. The range is much eroded Another eastern range, the Nangnim, arcuate form with mountains as its and the highest peak, Huangang turns south to join Taeback Sanmaek. backbone. These ranges are recog- (2158m), lies towards the north. The latter is not very high but forms nised in three zones: five in the north-
APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 5 Profile
east, three in the centre, and three in rugged topography, the mountains the south-west. The north-south have dense forests. If their prove- APMN News aligned ranges of Ou, Mikuni, and nance is climatic, their preservation Kanto form the spine of the north-west owes much to the sedentary orienta- Overview of activities and zone. The Kitatami and Abukama tion of Japanese agriculture without achievements Ranges run close to the east coast. livestock and to settlements in which The central zone is a knotted complex the main economic activity is coastal APMN’s mission is to promote sus- of ranges running at right angles to fishery. In Japanese culture, moun- tainable mountain development in the the main spine of the island. Known tains are more associated with spiritu- Asia-Pacific region. Its overall objec- as the Japanese Alps, these include ality and have inspired shugendo or tive, derived from the Sustainable the Hida Range in the north, the Kiso the cult of the mountain (Picken Development of Mountain Areas of Range in the centre, and the Akaishi 1994) Asia Conference of 1994, is two-fold: Range in the south. These constitute 1) to promote linkages and network- the highest mountains in Japan and References ing amongst various stakeholders there are at least seven peaks above concerned with the management of Picken, S.D.B. (1994) Essentials of Shinto: 3000m, including Mount Fuji mountain environments and improv- An Analytical Guide to Principal (3776m) east of Akaishi. Composed ing the living standards of mountain Teachings. Westport: Greenwood people at all levels, and 2) to sensitise of Palaezoic and Mesozoic rocks Press. intruded by igneous ones, the ranges policy-makers and the general public have very steep slopes. The north- Rost, K.T. (1999) 'Observations on about the role of sustainable moun- west winds bring heavy snowfall in Deforestation and Alpine Turf tain development and its problems Destruction in the Central Wutai winter. The windward side has climax and challenges. Mountains, Shanxi Province, China' In montane forest while the south-east Mountain Research and Development, Membership Growth Chart: The leeside has mostly scrub vegetation Vol. 19, No. 1, pp 31-40. (Kikuchi 1981). The south-western APMN membership grew by 17% zone commences west of Nagoya in Kikuchi, T. (1981) 'The Vegetation of between May 2004 and April 2005. the form of a long north-south moun- Mount Ide, as Representative of Organisational membership grew by Mountains with Heavy Snowfall in tain linking the Ryohak, Suzuka, and 15%, individual membership by Japan'. In Mountain Research and Kii Ranges. The extreme western part 17.5%. As of May 2005, APMN Development, Vol. 1, No. 3-4, pp membership comprised roughly one- has the Chugoku Sanchi extending 261-265. between Kyoto and Hiroshima. It is an third of the total Mountain Forum up-faulted granitic highland with membership. mature, rounded relief. There are no APMN Membership Growth peaks over 2000m in the south-west 2500 zone. The highest is on Shikoku Island across the southern inland sea: the 2000 169 Ishizuchi-san (1911m). 147 1500
1880 The southern island of Kyushu is an 1000 area of young folded mountains with 1600 some vulcanism to the south. The Mountain Forum provides a plat- 500 form for people from diverse back- Kyushu Sanchi straddles north-south 0 across the centre of the island as a grounds who are interested in May 2004 April 2005 distinct watershed. The high point, mountain issues, and fields of life, Organisations Individuals Kuju-san (1,787m), is situated on the and provides space for discussion, northern end of the range. The Mountain Forum – Asia Tsukushi is a minor range in the north- knowledge generation, and promo- Discussion List: During June 2004 west aligned transverse to the central tion of common goals and aspira- –May 2005, the MF-Asia subscriber- ship increased from 1456 to 1960, range. tions. Mountain Forum provides for registering a growth rate of 34.5%. two way flow of mountain knowl- The Japanese islands receive very Over the same period, some 404 MF- heavy precipitation in the form of edge from local to global level and Asia postings were posted to the e- snow, rain, and typhoons. Despite the vice versa. discussion list, averaging 1.1 postings per day.
6 APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 Discussion
APMN Involvement in the MF Topic What were the discussions about? Pilot Radio Project: Asia Pacific Mountain Highlights how hill communities of Bhojini and Kartike, Nepal perceive themselves Mountain Network (APMN), the Identity in relation to those in the cities and in the plains Tourism Explores the nuances of the conflict between the local community and tourism Mountain Forum Secretariat (MFS) Conflict service providers in and around Nagarkot and Radio Sagarmatha (RS) entered Bhatte Danda Highlights how the Bhatte Danda ropeway has transformed the rural economy of into a collaboration to implement a Ropeway Bhhatte Danda and neighbouring villages pilot radio project during the last Park-People Highlights the impa ct of the gazetting of the Shivapuri National Park on the quarter of 2004. Conflict indigenous communities living in and around the park Tripeni Rising Highlights the impact of the first stirrings of community mobilisation and diffusion of appropriate rural technologies in Tripen i and Chhapakharka villages The objective of the pilot project was Rural Urban Highlights how those who have outmigrated from mountain areas are coping in to identify critical and emerging issues Migration their new settings in Kathmandu as well as the reasons for their outmigration. affecting the communities of the Sand and Explores how indiscriminate sand and stone quarrying along the river banks and Stone on the hillside is degrading the Himalayan river systems Kathmandu valley rim as well as to Peace and Highlights the impact of the decade -long Maoist insurgency on the lives of Nepali develop radio programmes around Conflict people these issues with the participation of Mountain Highlights some ‘good’ i ncome generation initiatives built around the production the affected communities, local gov- Products and promotion of mountain products ernment officials, local decision mak- is coverage of these issues through Now that the pilot project is over, the ers, and experts. The larger objective the ‘mountain perspective’ lens. partners have reviewed what worked was to test to see if a two-way com- Hence, the pilot project not only and what have not and have modified munication flow between rural moun- helped fill this long-felt need, it also the modality based on feedback. The tain communities of the Nepal raised consciousness about main- partners envision expanding the proj- Himalaya and the Mountain Forum streaming the mountain agenda into ect to cover the entire mountain dis- and the world at large can work on a general development patterns in the tricts of the Nepal Himalaya in the next large scale through a mix of commu- Nepal Himalaya. phase through partnering with a net- nity radio and Internet technologies. work of community radio stations and While the results of this larger objec- Over the course of the project, the community-based organisations in far- tive have been mixed, there is no partners developed nine radio pro- flung areas. For more information on doubt that media coverage of hill and gramme episodes on a range of the Pilot Radio Project, please visit: mountain issues from the perspective mountain topics and issues (see http://www.mtnforum.org/apmn/radi of the grassroots is still very much table). o_index.htm> lacking in Nepal. Even more lacking Discussion
Summary of APMN and suffers from a representation been a big success. This is essential e-discussions problem in the national governments. for creating a favourable environment Some contributors felt that the absence for dialogue between groups as it Exploring development amidst of political rights, a leadership vacu- helps to shift a politically motivated conflict in Northern Areas: um, and a sense of powerlessness has outlook to a more favourable moun- conflicts, dialogue, textbooks created a favourable environment for tain-oriented discourse; making inter- Discussants: Agha Iqrar Haroon, Ali religious elements to create a hostile faith trust, moreover, a distinct possi- Ahmad Jan, Ismail Khan, Muhammad environment. Solutions need to be bility, which is essential to stabilising Hasnain, Dr. Wolfgang Bayer socially, economically, and politically sensitive border areas. But progress relevant and sensitive, otherwise devel- still requires that donor agencies and The Northern Region spans an area of opment efforts will be stymied by con- development leaders include the 72,496 sq.km between China, India, flict. interests of local communities in the Afghanistan, and the Central Asian planning process. However, gaining republics. It is the point of convergence As part of building trust and setting a and keeping wide community support of the Hindu Kush- Himalayas and the better trajectory for development in and eventually, participation neces- Karakoram ranges. The region has his- the Northern Areas the decision to sary for political empowerment and torically faced constitutional neglect eliminate ‘controversial contents’ in economic development, is a constant the Islamiyat and Urdu textbooks has battle.
APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 7 Discussion
Skardu Dam: Challenges and and not sustainable when they the relationship between several vari- Controversies exclude local communities. ables. There is a strong link between Discussants: Agha Iqrar Haroon, Communities living in fragile and bio- drug crop cultivation and gun wield- Ismail Khan, Khaleeq Kiani, logically-rich ecosystems are further ing lords in the mountain regions of Muhmmad Hassan, Naveed Ahmad, marginalised when conservation Afghanistan, the Andean region, and Rana Riaz Saeed measures regard people and nature southeast Asia. Arms manufacturers as separate entities. It is necessary to have an interest to maintain conflicts The construction of dams, and in this foster a relationship and understand- to sustain the arms market. With case the Skardu dam has always been ing based on partnership rather than cheap labour and appropriate climat- a controversial topic primarily exploitation. This requires improving ic conditions mountain regions are a because the costs are concentrated the economic access of mountain lucrative destination for drug traders. and the benefits diffused. It is clear communities to bio-resources. The In this conflict scenario, drugs provide that the Skardu dam would inundate local communities have served as an income source to the poor; drug the Skardu Valley and parts of Shigar custodian of these resources for ages. cultivation also supports the mafia, Valley, the gateway to K2, and will Their exclusion now will make them erodes state authority, and destroys displace more than 300,000 people hostile to conservation efforts and will tourism which could be a strong and from where they live. The deluge make such efforts unsustainable. It is better alternative income source. The would destroy the commercial hub of worth noting that the state often cre- demand for drugs is fueled by a con- the Balistan region, incapacitate Balti ates policies in the name of national sumerist outlook that demands mate- culture, pride, and economy, and interest, or for the sake of the environ- rial rewards. Given the highly political destroy Buddha statues from the ment, and in this process overlooks nature of conflict in mountain regions Asokha period, Khapocho Ford, and the role of local communities and due to drugs and arms, multinational Mendoq garden. their access to bio resources in the NGOs generally do not become conservation process. involved in this debate because they There are other risks to building the do not want to offend governments. dam and their long-term costs are not Besides conservation, development yet established. The dam area is efforts in general need to have a Development in the Darjeeling prone to earthquakes. It is widely regional mountain perspective. The Hills: Conflicting Interests and believed that a permanent storage of state’s role is to take into account the Priorities a large water body could shift the diverse requirements of social groups. Discussants: Neelkamal Chhetri, hydrological cycles and hasten the Its inability to encompass the con- Niraj Lama, N.S. Jodha, Vimal melting process of glaciers in the cerns of ethnic and minority groups, Khawa, area. Thus, the total costs to the especially in the mountain areas, has mountain ecology is not yet known. often leds ethnic groups to organise The Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Without proper rehabilitation meas- themselves in order to get a better Hill Council (DGHC) was established ures the dam will displace the people share of state resources. Or they form for socioeconomic and cultural of Skardu from their settlements. their own local or invisible govern- advancement of the local people in ment as a substitute for the state when 1988. The council was approved by On the other hand, the dam is seen to state policies are created along eco- the President of India and is a political be unique, technically feasible, and nomic and sectoral lines rather than creation rather than a constitutional intended to serve as a multi-purpose on social lines. An understanding of one. The DGHC is a source of pride. reservoir that promises to transform the social differences and concerns will But it is important to recognise who controversial Thal flood canal into a help improve their access to services are being empowered, on what basis, perennial canal making irrigation, and the development process. and to what extent. making agriculture possible in the region. If glacial depletion is inevitable, Mountain Conflict: Arms, Development programs in the region the dam can be used as a long-term Drugs, Tourism, and NGOs suffer from competing institutional carry over dam to feed agriculture. Discussants: Agha Iqrar Haroon, frameworks between the DGHC and Alejandro Camino, Almanda the Government of West Bengal. The Development Outlook: Condonio, Mahesh Khadka, Medini DGHC enjoys freedom to prepare Conservation and Access Bhandari, Rana Riaz Saeed, development plans and budget, but Discussants: Nakul Chettri, Sudhirendra Sharma the plans require approval of the gov- Neelkamal Chhetri, Phuntsho ernment to implement. It is clear that Namgyel, Rajiv Rawat, Vimal Khawas The complexity of conflicts in moun- mere legal empowerment does not Conservation efforts are misguided tain areas requires us to understand ensure social justice and equality, nor
8 APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 Opinion does it necessarily lead to better poli- cies. Opinion
The conflict of interest between the A National Park not for two administrative and planning units Merapi in Darjeeling has been detrimental to Mimin Dwi Hartono2 the local people and to a guided mountain perspective. Besides politi- Background: Local conversations cal autonomy the region requires about the classification of the Mount economic autonomy, which implies a Merapi forest area into a national need for devolution and decentralisa- park often end up questioning why it tion. These are critical to creating was established as a park at all. policies in favour of social justice and Mount Merapi forest ecosystem is sustainability. Economic autonomy located at 600-2968m above sea could expedite mainstreaming planta- level in Yogyakarta province, Republic tion economies with national and of Indonesia. It is 8655 ha and most- international economies. ly covered by mountain tropical forest Mount Merapi, the most active volcano in the which is a source of living for a million world, has been a source of conflict between Snow Leopards on Everest: people in four districts. community and government because of the establishment of Mount Merapi National Park. Issue of Conservation Discussants: Barbara Brower, Marsha Rainfall varies, with the lowest rainfall degraded their wellspring sources, Walton, Prakash Shrestha, Som B. equal to 875mm/year and highest and the destruction of flora and ani- Ale, Syed Harir Shah rainfall equal to 2527mm/year mal cannot be sustained. Economics (Sutikno, et al. 2002). The wet season is always put above environment and A snow leopard sighting in the Everest starts in November and ends in May, sustainability. region gained international publicity while the dry season starts in June and and generated a series of responses ends in October. Conflict of Management System: on the Mountain Forum network. The Many had expressed opposition to the local people and the Sagarmatha Surface water that comes from Mount government’s plan to classify the area (Mt. Everest) National Park are aware Merapi is divided into 3 streams: the into Mount Merapi National Park of the existence of snow leopards as Progo watershed of the west part, (MMNP), a process that began in villagers often lose yak calves, sheep, Opak watershed in the middle, and 2001. Despite the protest, the and goats to them in the past. The Bengawan Solo watershed in the east- Indonesian Ministry of Forestry on snow leopard has not been seen for a ern part. These watersheds supply May 4, 2004 issued a decree that while. But a photograph by Som Ale water for consumption, irrigation, and officially changed the status of the for- confirmed their represence. There are industry in two provinces, Jogjakarta est into a protected area. an “estimated 4,500 to 7,000 snow and Central Java, benefitting more leopards left in the wild, their pres- than 5 million people. We who are opposed to the change ence spreads across 12 countries, say that the ministerial decree violates from the Afghanistan, Himalayas to The environment of Mount Merapi legal principles as well as the princi- South Central Russia.”1 There is a fear has been threatened because of ples of transparency, democracy, and that publicity of the snow leopard unsustainable management. The par- human rights; and is a manifestation sighting might have also excited the adigm of government is still same: of government’s arrogance. poachers. An issue that remains in exploitation of resource for income conflict is between wild life conserva- without consideration for long term The decree goes against an earlier tion and the needs of local people, as utilisation. Privatisation of water sup- decree issued by the same ministry wild life often feed on domesticated ply to commercial companies that that requires due process prior to herds which are an important source deprived thousand of farmers of water ‘gazetting’ a national park. The deci- of livelihood. for their farms. Similarly, mining 3,5 sion also contravenes Law No million cubic meter of sand/year, 22/1999 on regional autonomy because it ignores the authority of the 2 1 Walton, Marsha. "Snow leopards spotted on Executive Coordinator of Wana Mandhira- regional governments and the legisla- top of world." CNN International.com. 23 Institute for Advocacy and Environment tive councils in the area. May, 2005. Conservation-Indonesia
APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 9 Book Reviews
Cont. from p.9 Book Reviews However, this article rather than delv- ing into the legal aspects of the min- First People, then lenges of the next decade - how to meet isterial decree discusses its substance Protected Areas national development needs without further and questions whether the concept of Dr. Ram B. Chhetri marginalising mountain peoples. Oral a national park fits Merapi’s conser- The history of protected Testimonies from the Sierra Norte, Oaxaca, vation needs. If we agree that Merapi areas (PAs) is linked to Mexico and Oral Testimonies from Shimshal, needs conservation then what kinds of game reserves and for- the Karakoram, Pakistan. conservation will best suit the and est preserves for recre- These absorbing accounts prove an excellent how should this conservation be car- ational hunting by roy- complement to other kinds of research and ried out? alty and colonial offi- reporting – illustrating the complexities and cials. Until recently, realities of mountain living and bringing the The concept of a national park first local people in PAs were seen as threats to issues to life. (Oral testimonies have already emerged in Western countries and conservation and management. Now, there is been published from Nepal, India, Peru, China, was strongly influenced by classical a consensus that the apparently opposing Ethiopia, Lesotho, Kenya, and Poland. Copies concepts of conservation – a region positions of ecologically noble savage (local are available free to the media and to was tightly protected with no one people living in perfect harmony with nature) resource-poor organisations in the South, or allowed to touch it. It later developed and pristine wilderness (uninhabited PAs as otherwise for £35.00 each plus P&P. into an eco-fascist conservation necessary for best results in conservation) Email [email protected] model that placed the continuation of need to be reconciled. PA management now [email protected] with your ‘undisturbed’ nature as a top priority, takes a more pragmatic approach stressing name, organisation and full postal address, even if it meant getting rid of the local the need to place both people and nature order online at http://www.panos.org.uk/oral- inhabitants who are considered to together in the map of conservation. The South testimony/books have endangered it. Asian challenge for PAs is to demonstrate their contribution to biodiversity conservation while Full transcripts of each country collection are The world’s first national park was enhancing the livelihoods of local people available online at established in the U.S. in 1872 with because ‘sustainable use’ of biological
10 APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 Opinion
age to nature, and the impoverish- ment of local communities.
One should ask why the government established the Mount Merapi National Park without conducting comprehensive, participative studies. My belief is that the same problems as seen in other areas will reoccur in Merapi because the local community and the Merapi ecosystem are insep- arable and interdependent, but their role has been ignored.
For hundreds or maybe even thou- sands of years, the surrounding com- munities have been wisely guarding Merapi because it guaranteed their livelihoods through its clean water
Hundreds of people from Mount Merapi came to the Ministry of Forestry office and People and trees, and because Merapi pro- Representative Assembly office in Jakarta, December 2005, to protest and push the government to vided food, shelter, and medicines. withdrawn Minister Decree on Mount Merapi National Park studies on how the existing parks have the government’s interest. Law No Will the establishment of Mount been managed, proves so. 5/1990 on the conservation of natural Merapi National Park fix the problems resources and ecosystems, makes no caused by sand quarrying on its slope, The conditions in many of the regions mention of the people’s role and rights which has caused damage to its forest named national parks have worsened regarding natural resources. and dried out its spring? Will the man- since they were gazetted. Instead of agement of the National Park care preserving the area and generating The management body organisation about the fate of the evicted communi- positive spin-offs, the establishment of is not biased in favour of the govern- ties after the arrival of new investors?. national parks has often resulted in ment, like other state organisations it The National Park system will never be damage and disadvantage. The also suffers from corruption. As the able to answer these problems; it will Mount Leuser, Mount Halimun, Kutai, manager of national parks, the man- instead create new ones that will fur- Bukit Tiga Puluh, Tanjung Puting, agement body holds almost complete ther tarnish this beautiful area. Mount Palung, Ujung Kulon, Lore authority. The surrounding communi- Lindu, Rawa Aopa, Komodo, Lorentz, ties practically have no rights. The The problems of Merapi cannot be and Wasur national parks are exam- corruption of national park manage- answered by classifying it as a nation- ples of conservation models that have ment is well known and is evident in al park. Only by empowering the led to social and economic problems the collusion of business and the mil- local community and integrating the and environmental degradation itary in illegal deforestation activities. management of the Merapi area to rather than preservation. involve all the stakeholders through The massive illegal logging that occurs the principles of cooperation, trust, This failure in applying the national in almost all national parks outside participation and conservation, will park concept to Indonesia is not just at Java, including in the Tanjung Puting we answer its problems. a conceptual level but also at the poli- and Mount Palung national parks, cy and management level. At the poli- involves the management body, busi- What this area needs is a people- cy level, for example, through the ness people, and the military. based conservation model; not a National Park Management body, the This collusion also leads to the mas- national park concept that has only government discriminates between the sive theft of biological resources, the proved to be a recurrent failure. rights of the management body and eviction of indigenous inhabitants and those of the people. The people are the opening of new mining sites inside We will not let Merapi be another considered subordinate to the man- supposedly “national parks”. entry into the long list of national park agement body. They have to obey the disasters in Indonesia, as in many body without question while it applies National parks here do not mean parts of the world. fascist regulations that were made for conservation; they mean more dam-
APMN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2005 11 Events
Past events, Members ment in Protected Areas’ was organ- The seminar had four technical ses- ized by the Centre for Mountain sions: 1) Pilgrimage and Tourism Initiatives Tourism and Hospitality Studies Development and Directions, 2) International workshop on (CMTHS), HNB Garhwal University, Tourism Management, Impacts; Education for Sustainable Srinagar, Garhwal from 28 February Community-based Tourism and Role Development in Mountain to 3 March 2005 at Mussoorie, India. of NGOs, 3) Himalayan Bio-Diversity, Regions The conference was sponsored by the Protected Areas and Tourism, and 4) ‘Education for a Sustainable Future’ All India Council for Technical Ecotourism, Sustainability and (ESF), 18-20 January 2005, held in Education, Government of India, New Biodiversity Conservation. Ahmedabad, India, was the first inter- Delhi, Uttaranchal State Forest, and national event to mark the UN Decade Wild Life Department, Dehradun. of Education for Sustainable Develop- About 125 delegates from all over the Upcoming Events ment (DESD). It brought together close world took active part in the confer- to 800 learners, practitioners, aca- ence, citing examples on ecotourism 8 - 13 January, 2006 demics and activists from over 50 in other countries and how India can International Conference: Sustainable Solid countries. The three-day event dis- effectively learn and carve out strate- Waste Management in developing countries gies from it. Kathmandu, Nepal. cussed what the Decade can do to Contact: [email protected] ; reorient the vision of development and [email protected] how educators can facilitate this National seminar on Tourism URL: http://www.ku.edu.np/dobes/ process, it also laid out roadmaps for and Himalayan Biodiversity Seminar/home.htm ESD action in 20 sectors through sep- ‘National Seminar on Tourism and Himalayan Biodiversity’ was organ- 4 - 6 April, 2006 arate workshops. Symposium on Climate Change: Organizing the ised by the Government Post Science in the American Cordillera (CONCORD) A key task that the participants took Graduate College, Uttarkashi, on 4-5 Mendoza, Argentina up was to carefully study the UN March 2005. The seminar theme was Contact: [email protected] DESD draft International Implementa- that processes leading to the develop- URL: http://www.ires.ubc.ca/projects/concord/ ment of tourism in the Himalayas tion Scheme (October 2004), in order 30 May - 1 June, 2006 to enrich and strengthen it. An impor- should never ignore the fundamental Conference: Multidisciplinary Approaches to tant output of the conference was the biodiversity-relating issues. Recovering Caribou in Mountain Ecosystems Ahmedabad Declaration unanimously British Columbia, Canada Over a hundred delegates participated Contact: [email protected] adopted by the participants. URL: http://www.cmiae.org/ in the seminar, including research conferences.htm#Multidisciplinary_Approaches_t The Ahmedabad Declaration believes scholars, local participants, post grad- o_Recovering_Caribou that a key to sustainable development uate students, and tourism students. In all, 50 papers were presented. Browse the entire calendar of events at: is the empowerment of all people